Pesto Potatoes & Greens

Every week I post a sweet or savoury, healthy recipe.

 

This Recipe 

Vegan | Gluten-Free | Grain-Free | Dairy-Free | Sugar-Free 

This is inspired by an Italian classic - Pesto Genovese over my favorite veggies (potatoes + green beans.) I don't dare call it by the same name because I don't use cheese in this one or the basil leaves that come from a specific region in Italy. It's not a healthier version of the same thing, it is different but...it's still pretty damn good!

The pesto takes you a little bit of time to prepare but otherwise this one is a quickie. It will fill you up during the winter or serve as a nice side to a big salad in the summer. 

 

Ingredients - Veggies

• 4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed 
• 1 cup (180g) ready-to-eat green beans or bag ready greens (peas, greens & broccoli) 

 

Ingredients - Pesto

1/4 cup (35g) pine nuts 

1/4 cup (40g) cashews soaked overnight OR soaked in boiling water for 15 min

4 cups (60g) fresh basil leaves

6 tablespoons (90ml) olive oil 

2 cloves garlic

1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10g) of sea salt (you need the coarse kind)

Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon 

 

 

Steps 

Begin by getting your veggies boiled. Ideally buy the kind that cook quickly not the ones that you have to cut and prep or you're going to lose some precious eating time!  Also if you haven't already, be sure to peel your potatoes and cut them into cubes. Boil the green beans/greens for about 5 minutes, set aside to cool when done. The potatoes will take longer - about 15 minutes. 

As the potatoes are boiling, prepare your pesto. Traditionally, you would use a pestle and mortar but few of us own one (if you do, go for it!) So instead, we're going to blitz this stuff in a very un-Italian way in the food processor. You could use the blender but be VERY careful not to blend too finely. There is an order to this to make it work: first blitz pine nuts and cashews until they are crumbs then you can add the remaining pesto ingredients: basil, olive oil, garlic, salt and lemon. Try using just the pulse function on your food processor/blender so that the pesto doesn't get too thin. You want a nice grainy texture. It will seem like you don't have enough, but trust me you will! Set aside.

Once potatoes are ready, drain and add to a big bowl along with your greens and pesto. Mix everything around with a big spoon until the veggies are covered well. Serve this one as a side or a main dish. 

 

 

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Also in NON-DIET HEALTHY RECIPES